


moonstone dagger

by aeonpathy



Series: put the sun in my hands [10]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cybernetics, Fist Fights, Flirting, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Making Out, Modern Royalty, Rough Kissing, Violence, Weapons, i mention yukhei and doyoung once, rated teen for language and violence, this is absurd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:00:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23362117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aeonpathy/pseuds/aeonpathy
Summary: mark is used to pain.after all, he is a part of the king's guard. he's used to the bruises he gets from every punch, the soreness of his body after every kick, so why does donghyuck like to make his life so much more difficult?
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Series: put the sun in my hands [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1128143
Comments: 21
Kudos: 156





	moonstone dagger

**Author's Note:**

  * For [baridalive](https://archiveofourown.org/users/baridalive/gifts).



> gifted to lil, because i have decided to blame this entire thing on her.

the palace grounds are intimidating and rightfully so. after all, it is home to the king and his court. power coils around every towering column like a snake, wrapping around and suffocating those who feed and ooze fear to the palace’s façade. 

each building, with its sloping roofs, ornate carvings and sculptures and daunting archways and large windows feel overwhelming. it is power and status in its unadulterated form. the palace grounds are unnerving, especially when―

_“i’m gonna fucking end your entire bloodline, donghyuck!”_

right.

it is a typical day here. the royal court is busy as usual; maids are scuttering around in a hurry, cooks are humming as they chop vegetables, and the loud grunts (and laughter) of the royal guard can be heard from the training arena.

“aw, you think you can handle me, mark?” donghyuck gloats as he successfully kicks mark’s phone (what the fuck, man!) out of his hands.

mark scowls before smirking. “of course i can, who do you take me for?” 

he sweeps donghyuck’s legs out from underneath him and wraps his legs around the other’s waist, pins him on the ground, trapping donghyuck’s hands with his, and looks down with a smile.

“who’s being handled now?”

“you,” donghyuck says before yanking his arms to the right and using the sudden imbalance to roll the opposite way. mark is already storming in his direction and he swings his arm out in a right hook, to which donghyuck parries with his forearm. mark dodges to the left as donghyuck tries to kick him in the face. they go back and forth like this. 

suddenly, mark bends down and picks him up, wrapping his arms around donghyuck’s waist and rushes to push him into the nearest raised platform. he hears donghyuck grunt from the impact but before mark can do anything else, donghyuck’s already rotating his body and locking his thighs around mark’s neck. his ankle rests above his knee. 

mark staggers as donghyuck’s body crashes onto the wooden platform. mark reaches out blindly to smack the younger’s face, maybe poke an eye or two out, but then donghyuck tightens his thighs and uses all of his weight to slam mark backwards, the latter’s torso sprawled on the wood, his face now looking toward the clear sky.

“fuck, you fight dirty,” mark grits out, gripping donghyuck’s calf roughly as he struggles in donghyuck’s hold. the other only answers him with a hard whack on the chest, and mark’s feet start slipping. there’s a lack of oxygen entering his body and the adrenaline rush finally floods through him, hitting him like a freight train. he digs the sole of his foot into the dirt and kicks up, swinging his body to where donghyuck’s laying.

as he expects, donghyuck spins one-eighty in the opposite direction at the force of mark’s jump and mark uses his left hand to tug donghyuck off his neck. donghyuck pulls himself up and launches himself onto the second platform. 

“that damn robot arm, mark lee,” he taunts, and mark can see donghyuck’s right eye flicker blue. “it’s about time you used it. i was wondering when you’d finally give in.”

he grins back at donghyuck. 

“you must be very happy with the way your eye is a bright ass blue right now,” mark replies, cracking his knuckles. he stares at his wrist and a holographic screen appears in front of him, orbiting around him like a transparent planet. “it’s almost noon, what do you want to eat for lunch?”

“i dunno, surprise me. actually, let’s talk about lunch after, i still want to kick your ass.”

mark sighs and the holograph disappears. donghyuck’s eye is back to its normal color but his smile is _oh_ so mischievous. “c’mon mark, you got a metal arm and foot, and it’s taking you this long to beat me?”

“okay? and you have a robotic eye, half a jaw, and knee, yet i don’t see you beating me either.”

donghyuck snorts. “touché.” 

they stare at each other for a moment. it’s all the seconds mark needs to immediately haul himself onto the second platform and kick donghyuck right in the jaw. donghyuck’s head gets flung back at the impact, and mark takes his opportunity to elbow donghyuck’s stomach.

but donghyuck’s nothing but a fighter, an ace when it comes down to it, recovering as fast as he can blink. before mark knows it, a punch lands on his shoulder and donghyuck’s doing a roundhouse kick. it sends mark on his ass, groaning, nearly making him fall off.

donghyuck rushes to probably shove him down but mark knows him. he’s quicker, pushing his body to the right just as donghyuck’s foot falls down to where mark was sitting. blessing his reflexes, mark gets up and starts running for the opposite end of the platform.

he can hear thundering footsteps behind him. mark jumps off the ledge and reaches his hands to grasp onto the third wooden stage, which acts as a floating island. he pulls himself up and looks back to see donghyuck on another raised area.

it’s beautiful, the way the younger dashes off the platform and front flips gracefully through the air. donghyuck braces for impact as soon as he lands on the island, his curled body rolling twice before getting up. 

they waste no time. mark aims a kick right for his chest and donghyuck snatches his leg out of the air, twisting it so that he falls down. it sort of works, but mark uses that sliver of time before he falls to leap up with his other leg and hook his ankle around donghyuck’s neck, using the momentum to drag him down, too.

“shit, you’re good at that,” donghyuck says. he sounds breathless and surprised, and mark’s ego swells just a little bit. he decides to indulge in it. “yeah, you liked that, huh?”

donghyuck laughs. “i did. wasn’t expecting you to do that at all.”

mark moves to grab donghyuck’s arm and wraps his legs around where it meets his shoulder, prying it up. donghyuck hisses in pain―he exhales heavily when mark bends his arm back farther, the pressure painful on his shoulder.

“motherfuc―of course you’d armlock me,” donghyuck snarls, “i’m surprised you didn’t pull a kimura.”

“a kimura?” mark says, loosening his grip. “you want me to do mma? i mean, do you want me to pull a kimura on you?”

he can imagine the look of bewilderment on the other’s face. “do i look like i have a death wish or something?”

“you might as well,” he mutters and yelps out in pain when he feels donghyuck free himself, only to immediately sock him in the face.

mark blinks a couple times. “oh, it’s on.”

donghyuck isn't ready for this kind of mark. he’s used to the mark that charges towards him and slams him into the ground right after he punches him. but mark is always full of surprises, and donghyuck gets an uppercut. 

the metal is sure to leave a bruise. mark slightly regrets using that much force with that arm, but he’s hungry and he knows they’re both starting to get tired. their bodies can only take so many bruises before they’re sore and limping.

mark takes a brutal kick to his side―donghyuck consistently uses muay thai to fuck him up. kicks come flying his way. mark narrowly side steps them, and on the next kick, ducks down and does the same thing he did earlier.

he sweeps him again.

as soon as donghyuck crumples onto the floor, mark’s on him, wrestling him. but donghyuck’s insanely stubborn. he thrashes underneath mark’s body until he’s free and he _tackles_ mark down, straddling mark’s thighs and wrapping his hands around mark’s wrists.

“stay down and let me win, you won yesterday,” donghyuck says. mark swears there’s a pout on the younger’s face. he’s about to be a little piece of shit and shove donghyuck off him again, but donghyuck’s eye goes yellow and starts doing a body scan of mark.

it lasts for five seconds; donghyuck’s eye flickers yellow rapidly and then a hologram of mark’s body appears in front of his face. “you don’t have any major injuries,” he tells him softly, “but i’ll have to check the wiring on you later. oh, and i have to update your processor, too.”

his hands leave mark’s wrists and the hologram vanishes. mark watches donghyuck close his eyes and reopen them. his right eye is back to brown. 

it’s then that mark realizes donghyuck is still sitting on his legs. his hands naturally gravitate up to donghyuck’s waist and lets his hands lay there as he stares at him.

“you won. can we go eat now?” mark asks. donghyuck visibly perks up.

“yeah, i’m starving. but at least you're the one paying today.”

there’s no sudden urge to move. mark just gazes at the person on top of him. donghyuck’s sweating, face and neck flushed pink, hair’s all over the place, his jaw is pulsing with lines of green electricity, the metal plating that usually hides under donghyuck’s ear is visible as day. he unabashedly makes eye contact with him, only to have his focus fall on donghyuck’s lips.

right.

his hands start to slide down and rest on the top of donghyuck's thighs. he’s about to say something when―

“mark, donghyuck.”

a voice calls for them and they look at each other, amused.

“yes, your highness?”

the king looks up at them from where he stands, arms crossed. he’s standing next to johnny, their guard leader, who also looks at them mirth in his eyes.

“you’ve been going at it for,” jaehyun checks his watch, “two hours, thirty three minutes, and approximately five seconds. are you not tired of beating each other to a pulp? i don’t recall there being training today.”

donghyuck beams at him. “you do know we do this,” he starts, “all because _someone_ decided to put us into the elite guard. we are your first line of defense, jaehyun.”

he eyeballs johnny and mouths something at him. their king tuts quietly. 

“are you implying that i can’t fend for myself, donghyuck?” jaehyun asks. both mark and donghyuck know jaehyun is a force to be reckoned with, especially as the king’s bionic right arm and leg glint in the sun. and that’s also saying something when he’s got johnny, who’s practically also half-cyborg at this point, standing right there. 

they’re a scary pair when they’re fighting. mark has seen them fight several times and nothing compares to the sheer amount of strength they use when they brawl.

“no, i’m just saying you can’t fend for yourself forever, your highness.” 

jaehyun nods in agreement. “well, you’re not wrong. anyways, you two go get washed up. johnny’s making me force you two to take a break because he knows that you won’t listen to him, and he doesn’t want to have to beat your asses because he’s your...de facto father. and, we have the lantern festival tonight, so i would like to have the whole palace celebrating."

mark glares at johnny. “hey! first of all, i’ve kicked your ass three times. second of all, isn’t that like, abuse of power? just because you’re dating him, johnny, doesn’t mean―”

“mark, i'll toss you through a window right now, no matter how much i care about you,” johnny huffs.

donghyuck makes a face. “i’m telling the court painter that you’re being a meanie.”

johnny and jaehyun both snap their heads in his direction.

“and what will the court painter do exactly?” jaehyun says. mark starts praying for their sanity because he knows donghyuck’s about to get them where it hurts the most.

“i don’t know, your highness. i think the question you should be asking yourself is what will he _not_ do,” donghyuck bites back. “last time i checked, ten listens to me first, and his boyfriends second. you are in the losing category here, sir.”

mark tries to stifle his laugh. but at the sight of johnny and jaehyun whining at donghyuck that he’s not playing fair, he doubles over in laughter. soon, the four of them are laughing in the middle of the training arena.

mark’s stomach growls loudly and donghyuck startles.

“right, fuck, we need to go eat. see you two later, tell ten i said hi and i’ll make breakfast with him tomorrow!” donghyuck yells and suddenly latches onto mark’s wrist. mark holds him by the waist and then proceeds to dangle the both of them over the edge. donghyuck drops first, and mark follows, bracing for the fall after donghyuck rolls forward. they then rush past the two and make a break for the arena entrance.

“hyuck, my phone,” he says. right. the reason they started fighting in the first place was because donghyuck messed up his winning streak on his game.

donghyuck sighs and they walk over to where mark’s phone lies, surprisingly not broken. mark’s gone through at least seven phones in his lifetime. donghyuck? thirteen. 

“okay, i’ll meet you underground in twenty minutes,” donghyuck whispers as they part ways to their rooms. mark hums and smacks his ass for good measure. donghyuck rolls his eyes before flipping mark off and heading into his room.

“god, you guys are insane,” a voice cries out, most likely in mild disgust. “what did he do this time?”

jeno, also a part of the king’s elite guard and donghyuck’s best friend, sits on the bench in the common room with a watering can in his hand. “i’m just sitting here, trying to water the plants in peace, and you two have the audacity. i hate it here.”

“man, don’t get me started on you. tell yukhei to stop winking at you whenever we visit the armory. he does not shut up about you when we hang out, it feels like i’m a third wheel even though it’s just him and i,” mark complains. he barely catches the arrow that jeno shoots in his direction. 

“i hate you!”

“and you are a lost cause right now,” jeno retorts, hanging the bow back onto the display mount on the wall. “go shower stinky, or else you’ll be late for your little date.”

mark chokes and feels his cheeks heat up, the warmth tingling all the way to his ears.

he truly, truly feels threatened sometimes.

but he listens to jeno and showers. strawberry body wash? check. face scrub? check. marula shampoo and conditioner? check. the hot water steams up the entire bathroom but it feels awfully good, muscles relaxing in the heat. he knows he should be taking cold showers because it’s better for his health or something _(“and for your libido,” jaemin’s voice echoes in his head, and mark vividly remembers tackling jaemin off the platform in embarrassment right after the words had left his mouth.)_ but there’s something comforting that a hot shower provides.

mark finishes up quickly, drying his body and putting on the first set of clean clothes he sees. he grabs a beanie, his keys, phone, wallet, slips on some sneakers, and heads out to the lift. the lift drops him down to the garage and mark sees donghyuck leaning against the hood of his car, texting someone on his phone.

“get in, loser,” mark calls out. donghyuck scoffs but pockets his phone and gets in the car. mark quickly slides into his seat and starts the engine. “where are we going, cute stuff?”

“i want thai food,” donghyuck yawns, blinking his eyes sleepily. “i’ve been craving thai tea and laab all week.”

mark makes a noise and drives to the lift, which raises to the ground floor and mark speeds off the lift. they exit the south gate and head downtown. donghyuck starts playing music on his radio and sings (albeit a little tiredly) and mark bobs his head to the beat. his hand slips off his gearshift and makes it onto donghyuck’s knee.

he taps the rhythm of the song there, reveling in the way donghyuck covers the top of his hand with his own.

“you have a really big bruise on your stomach and leg,” donghyuck says, looking up and down mark’s body. he feels bare, laid out in the open. donghyuck’s eye is green.

“and you have one on your jaw,” mark replies. he glances at his rear view mirror and signals to turn onto the left lane. the younger clicks his tongue at him and mark only squeezes his knee.

they finally arrive at their favorite thai restaurant. they go so often that the waiters don’t even bat an eye at their bruises, nor do they waver at the sight of mark and donghyuck’s elite guard insignia on their bracelets.

some people in the restaurant do stare, but mark doesn’t know what they’re looking at. it could be the bruises, the bracelets, or what mods mark has. or maybe they’re staring at donghyuck and how pretty he is. again, mark really doesn’t know.

“oh jeez, look who’s here,” someone teases behind the counter. yeri’s holding a full tray of drinks, but she motions them forward anyways. “you’re so lucky, there’s one table for two left. come along now, let’s get y’all seated.”

donghyuck chats with yeri about tonight's lantern ceremony, asking her if she and the girls want to go and row a dragon boat together tomorrow night. mark listens, following the pair until they reach a table.

“you gotta treat that bruise, mark, it’s gonna turn out real ugly,” yeri says to him. mark groans and tells her that he always takes care of his injuries, and that he’ll deal with it later. she only pats his shoulder. “just looking out for you, bro.”

“the usual?” she asks to donghyuck, who gives her two thumbs up. “alright, i’ll be back soon. and your eye, donghyuck, is bright blue right now, just telling you. good look on you.”

donghyuck whines at her as she starts going to another table. “i like your mods too, yerim!”

yeah. yeri’s whole left shoulder and collar bone gleams with metal. probably everyone in there has some type of mod.

two dirty shoes pop up underneath the table and rest on mark’s lap, who scrunches his nose in distaste. he eyes the sunflower ( _donghyuck’s favorite,_ his brain helpfully supplies) anklet.

“hyuck, get your dirty shoes off my lap,” mark says calmly. donghyuck, ever so the brat he is, doesn’t listen and only pokes his tongue out at him. “donghyuck.”

nothing. mark hates having to take matters into his own hands.

he reaches down and pinches the sensitive skin of donghyuck’s inner thigh _hard_. donghyuck jolts in his seat and narrows his eyes at mark with the intent of murder on his face, but mark knows better.

“i told you once, that’s your own fault, man,” mark scolds. he’s not mean though, and lets donghyuck mess around with his hand until their drinks come.

“wait, don’t move, i need to take a picture. i still can’t get over how they make paper roses with the napkins,” donghyuck voices with pure awe and excitement, so mark stops moving around and lets donghyuck take his photo to post on his story. mark’s phone vibrates in his pocket a few moments later.

the food arrives a few minutes later. the pair go silent, too focused on eating until there’s nothing left. the bill comes as yeri walks past them and mark stretches his limbs. “how much?”

“fifty-two,” donghyuck replies, “and like, eleven for the tip. the rate’s twenty percent now.”

mark looks up and sees donghyuck’s retina scanner at work. if he stares hard enough, he could probably see what screens the other is looking at right now. but donghyuck doesn’t give him that time because as soon as the money hits the table, donghyuck stands up and pulls him out the door.

he cocks his eyebrow, questioning.

“what? there was this group of girls staring at you, i heard them talking about wanting your number,” donghyuck defends, holding his hands up. “i didn’t want to have to save you from having to deal with them, dude. i know you hate having to break some people’s dreams.”

mark shakes his head fondly and tugs donghyuck into his side. “you’re so fucking cute.”

donghyuck shoves him off with an irritated smack of his lips. 

“can we get ice cream?”

“tomorrow. we have to go back and help decorate the palace, man. i don’t want renjun to get mad, you know what happens. then jaemin’s gonna get on my case, and those two are the worst. it’s bad enough that they’re together,” mark grumbles, and donghyuck goes _ugh_ at the mention of their other friends.

“i hate that you are absolutely right,” he bemoans while pretending to massage his temples, like it's the worst thing that could've happened.

“c’mon, off we go. the king might get mad and order to have us beheaded or something,” mark says loudly, which makes a couple people near them do a double take, some in amusement and others in horror. donghyuck starts cackling, slapping mark’s shoulder as he struggles to breath.

“stop, you might start rumors about jaehyun and he might fight both of us once he finds out it was you who started it,” donghyuck gasps. they make it back to mark’s car before they’re going back to the palace.

mark thinks that he wouldn’t mind brawling with jaehyun. it’s always good to learn from someone stronger, and he gets to punch the hell out of the ruler of the empire free of charge.

by the time they enter the palace, there are people everywhere. maids are chatting while putting up lights, jaemin’s talking to the gardener, jisung’s with yukhei and they look like they’re testing a holographic projection of the entire palace grounds, in real time to check on festival preparations. renjun’s next to ten, no doubt the two of them making banners to hang on the main palace gate.

chenle waves at them. “there you guys are. come on, jeno and i need help with the guard’s outfits!” mark and donghyuck hurry over, running into the house and staring at the racks of outfits lining the sides of the walls. 

“is this for the entire guard?”

there’s one hundred people in the royal guard, stationed directly on palace grounds. the elite guard has only fifteen people. 

“yes, all one-fifteen, now help us sort them before poor seulgi loses her mind.”

seulgi’s the court’s head seamstress, more intimidating when she’s got a needle in her hand and a pistol strapped on her waist. but here, she’s frantically running around trying to organize, seungwan helping her.

“we just saw yeri, you know we could’ve called her to come back home, right?” mark questions, unhooking a dark blue and silver garb and sticking it into the correct place.

“and stop her when she wants to experience life outside of the palace? she’s coming back in an hour, mark, let her live,” seulgi chides, biting down on a pin cushion. 

donghyuck holds up the garb with his name on it. “oh, we’re the dark blue and silver? why are we getting new ceremonial outfits anyways,” donghyuck asks, and it’s joohyun who walks in and answers him.

“jaehyun let ten persuade him. thank god, the old colors were ugly,” she says, snapping her fingers at them. “boys, out, i have help on the way, go do what you have to go do.”

and donghyuck’s running upstairs, mark on his trail. donghyuck turns around and yanks mark into his room.

“my wrist is red with how rough you’re being with me,” mark comments and donghyuck lets him go to look through his closet. he reemerges with a screwdriver and pliers, along with his laptop and his glasses.

donghyuck sits on his chair and pats the edge of the bed. “what? it’s nothing you can’t handle lee, we both know this already,” he muses coyly. “but seriously, hurry up. sunset starts in forty three minutes…..and about twenty seven seconds, and i still have to update your processor.”

begrudgingly, mark plops down on the bed and lets donghyuck hold onto his arm. it’s all metal and internal wiring from the tips of his fingers, to his elbow. when donghyuck unscrews the panel, he whistles.

“damn, your wires are like, pulsing. lots of power here, hotshot.”

donghyuck’s eye goes yellow and he scans the interior. as soon as the data gets processed, he grabs the pliers and detaches the blue wire. sparks fly out and mark’s hand spasms, his arm nearly hitting donghyuck in the face.

“fuck, careful,” he coughs. donghyuck presses his lips softly against mark’s knuckles and goes back to fixing mark, pulling out a yellow wire, working quietly to replace mark’s old one. 

mark, on the other hand, is burning. his heartbeat is beating hard in his chest and his human hand is starting to get clammy. he melts, his body trembles at how soft the kiss was. he’s floating high above the clouds with how elated he is.

when he’s done with the wiring, he grabs a cord that’s attached to his laptop and searches for mark’s processing core before plugging the end in. mark watches as donghyuck opens mark’s system control file and presses a few buttons, finally tapping update. 

he looks donghyuck dead in the eye and unconsciously leans forward―

“mark!”

johnny’s voice echoes throughout the building and mark, honest to god, is about to thump his head through the nearest wall. 

“what do you want,” he shouts. he hears johnny’s feet pounding up the stairs and the door to donghyuck’s room swings open. it’s johnny, and behind him is ten, who’s clinging onto his back like a koala.

“oh, jeno and chenle said you guys ran up here and i wanted to come bother you,” ten says, grinning. “but it seems like donghyuck’s busy updating your mods. oh, and i heard this morning that you two weren’t training and instead were fighting. and that jaehyun’s been a pouty baby ever since hyuck told him that i love him more. i mean, he’s not wrong, you are my kin, after all.”

“we get it, you’ve been there for me my entire life. and gross, don’t talk about jaehyun like that, that’s weird,” donghyuck gags.

ten winks at him. “you know me, just taking care of my men.”

“yeah, no clue how you got,” donghyuck throws two fingers at johnny, “the king of the cloud empire and his majesty’s commander of the guard wrapped around your sneaky little fingers, ten.”

“you love me,” ten sighs, hopping down from johnny’s back. 

he looks at the laptop screen before continuing. “and look where _you_ ended up. thank god johnny’s mark’s unofficial guardian, or you would have never―

“yeah yeah, we know,” mark cries out, burrowing his face into a pillow. ten feeds off his misery and pinches his cheeks.

“well, i’ll let you two be. remember to wake up early tomorrow, the parade in the city starts early!”

“yes, ten.”

johnny ruffles both of their heads and he’s gone, ten holding his hand as they walk back downstairs. 

mark takes a peek outside. “wow, it’s dark outside already. i could’ve sworn we only took twenty minutes, though?”

“your update is done,” donghyuck says. he unplugs the small cord and starts to close the panel to mark’s arm shut. “we still have to get dressed, though. jaehyun wants us at the pond by....”

donghyuck pauses as his retina scanner pulls up a couple of screens.

“here.”

a holograph pops up, lighting up the room. it’s donghyuck’s text messages with the king. mark squints.

“five thirty?”

“five thirty,” donghyuck confirms, dashing to put his gear away. “which means we have thirty minutes to get our shit together, mark. go, you have to go get dressed for the picture.”

and mark scrambles up, running out of the room. he almost slams into yeri. she leans back and mark twists his body to avoid knocking her to the floor. 

“mark, stop being so jumpy,” she complains. yeri’s wearing the new ceremonial outfit, a dark blue silk dress with a silver and white undergown. the empire’s insignia is woven and tied with a white cord that hangs off the black cotton belt of the dress. 

but seulgi has designed it so it’s easy to move in, easy to take off. underneath they wear their light armor, and all have some sort of weapon strapped onto their body.

“is mine in my room?” he asks. yeri nods and he thanks her before opening his door.

it’s neatly folded on his bed. he shrugs out of his outfit from earlier and slips his armor on. he sheathes a dagger in a holster around his waist before putting on the ceremonial clothes. it’s a thin, long, black coat with white cuffs at the end. silver clouds are embroidered onto the white cuffs, and they have a dark blue sash instead of a belt. mark pulls on black trousers and his dress shoes before heading out.

and _fuck_ does he suck in a deep breath. donghyuck’s with jeno on the sofa, everyone ready to go, and mark doesn’t know how to act with donghyuck looking like _that._

“finally you’re ready,” jisung mocks, pointing to the floating projector in the middle of the common room. “we have ten minutes to haul our butts to the pond, which is like, in the corner opposite of our current location. mark, you better have a fucking game plan, buddy.”

“then hurry up,” he calls, jumping out the biggest window and onto the roof.

there’s a chorus of groans and he’s pretty sure he hears renjun say, ‘he’s fucking crazy, i can’t stand him,’ but he ignores them and looks around, looking for a way to somehow get them to the other side of the palace.

he spots what he’s looking for.

“dude, there’s a hover literally right there. what the hell are you rushing me for, jisung?”

“look, any longer and you would have made us late.”

riding the hover takes five minutes, and they hastily stumble out of the vehicle and enter through the bamboo trees. 

“mark, come on, they’re starting!” jaemin shouts. there are hundreds of people gathered around the pond, along the banks and on the bridges.

they make their way towards jaehyun, who sits on a hovering platform in the center of the pond. he’s talking to the court’s chancellor, doyoung, who currently has a grossed out expression on his face. 

“it’s time,” donghyuck breathes, and suddenly mark is hyper aware of the boy next to him.

lanterns are passed around with lighters. there’s a call to attention when jaehyun clears his throat and stands up.

“everyone, i,” he begins, voice booming, “jung yoonoh, king of the cloud empire, wish everyone under tonight’s full moon with happiness, health, prosperity, and our future. this ceremony marks another beginning of an empire who will always push the limits. we will not stop, we will not rest. and as the first day of the spring festival, we may now proceed with the first lantern lighting.” 

the shouting deafens mark, but he’s among those who shout until his throat turns scratchy. 

“three,” jaehyun starts.

mark looks around to see a majority of everyone has either their phone or mod recording the ceremony.

“two!” each and every one of them scream.

“one!”

cheers erupt from the crowd, and everyone’s letting go of their lanterns. they float, oh so gently toward the stars, everyone’s wishes and dreams going up to where there are no limits. it’s such a breathtaking sight to see, everyone’s mouth is slightly open with happiness and reverence.

a tug at his wrist snaps him out of the moment.

“hey,” donghyuck whispers shyly, “let’s get out of here?”

he nods and lets donghyuck drag him to wherever. they walk past jeno who wriggles his eyes at them, mark flipping him off and donghyuck just giggles.

they end up in the palace’s gardens right next to the pond. it’s quiet; no one is there besides the moon. the gardeners and florists had just planted new spring flowers in the flowerbeds, so no one expects the garden to be popping until, well, when the flowers decide to bloom, a few weeks from now.

mark turns to look at donghyuck. the younger is holding his hand now, and they stop in front of one of ten’s many murals. it’s a dragon clutching the moon in its hand, weaving through the clouds, and ten often boasts that it’s his best work. 

“what did you bring me here for?” mark asks quietly, not to break the moment, but a grunt falls from his mouth as donghyuck drops down and sweeps his legs out.

“i thought it would be fun to dance under the moon,” donghyuck smirks. “and i know you still want to finish the fight from this morning.”

he gets up and slowly pulls the sash over his head, slipping out of his ceremonial outfit until he’s just wearing his armor.

donghyuck does the same. they do call a truce real quick, folding the clothes neatly and placing it on the nearest bench so that seulgi doesn’t murder them for tearing their clothes. 

“all right,” mark says, rolling his wrist, “show me how bad you want me then, angel.”

and that’s all donghyuck needs. he’s lunging forward with a left hook that mark intercepts, kicking donghyuck’s side and ducking when donghyuck throws his right arm out.

but it’s never that simple, especially when mark feels a kick to his face. he bites down on his lip in pain and picks donghyuck up, tossing the boy onto the ground and wrestles with him for a while, both fighting to gain control.

a nasty elbow gets mark in the ribs and he wheezes. donghyuck takes the chance and shoves him off. he’s about to go after him but stops short.

donghyuck smiles at him as he holds mark’s dagger. he flips it playfully between his hands, eyebrow raised, challenging mark, taunting him. “aw, this moonstone charm is cute, i wonder who gave it to you,” he pouts playfully, but his eye glows blue with delight.

the moonstone hangs off the handle of his dagger, tied through the hole with a silver thread. mark smiles at him and relaxes.

“thanks, my boyfriend gave it to me,” mark answers, stepping closer. donghyuck takes a step backward. “he said it reminded me of my eyes.”

“is that so?” 

“mhmn.”

“think fast.”

donghyuck throws the blade at him and mark side steps, reaching out to grab it as it comes near. he slams donghyuck against the mural, pinning his hands above his head, and tosses him a smug smile.

“oh baby,” mark whispers. he watches the pretty blush spread across donghyuck’s face as his boyfriend looks down at his feet. mark uses the tip of his blade to tilt his chin back up so he can look at him more closely. donghyuck’s eye glows a light pink and mark feels himself fall in love all over again.

mark stares into donghyuck’s eyes. although, his eyes naturally fall down to donghyuck’s lips and mark observes donghyuck instinctively wetting his lips. “you’ve been so, so, _so_ mean to me hyuck...denying me kisses all day...you sure know how to make me go crazy,” he sighs, nosing the side of donghyuck’s jaw.

it’s a little stuffy in between them, and mark can feel the heat from donghyuck’s face, but he then nibbles below donghyuck’s ear and the other lets out a whine.

“you gonna let me kiss you now, pretty?”

donghyuck's eyes soften.

_“nope.”_

his eye flashes a bright white that blinds mark temporarily. donghyuck pushes his arms to the side and lodges his dagger into the wall, kneeing mark right in the guts and escaping from his hold.

“you are such a fucking menace,” mark growls as his eyesight comes back. he uppercuts donghyuck and kicks his knee―the metal one―and donghyuck kneels onto the floor.

he hoists his body backwards before mark can properly headlock him and lands a series of consecutive punches and kicks on mark. the next time he tries to kick mark’s torso, mark angles his body and blocks the kick with his thigh.

donghyuck gives him a cheshire grin. “but you still love me,” he sing-songs, almost knocking mark down with a roundhouse kick.

yeah, he very much still does. donghyuck’s his best friend, his partner, and mark doesn’t know if he could ever stay away from him for too long. it’s been established that they are kind of dependent on each other to shine.

it’s still silent in the gardens. all mark can hear is their gasps for air and grunts. yet, he suspects that some people will come soon, and they need to hurry up before someone reports them for being reckless outside of the arena.

his boyfriend starts attacking him again. mark blocks each punch with his forearms and tries to think of a way to get donghyuck to call it quits. he doesn’t have a lot of options, seeing as they’re in a garden next to a mural of all things and not in the arena. quickly, he darts his eyes around, looking for something that can change the dynamic when he spots bamboo sticks propped up against a small shed.

mark kicks donghyuck square in the chest and scrambles, making a mad dash for the shed. he gets there and grabs a stick, spinning around and tossing it to donghyuck. “let’s have a little more fun, lee,” mark says. 

donghyuck only smiles and twirls the stick in the air. “you always have such good ideas, don’t you?”

it’s natural like this. donghyuck swings the stick down in an arc and mark blocks it by holding the stick by both ends and twisting it horizontally. it’s a rapid succession, their sticks thudding against each other. mark can feel the vibrations run through his arm as he tries to find an opening. 

he gets the idea just like that. mark backs off and digs the butt of the stick into the dirt and uses the bamboo to support all of his weight as he drop kicks donghyuck. he rotates around, brings the stick down to strike but donghyuck uses the heel of his foot to block, ultimately splintering the wood.

but donghyuck’s still on the ground.

back to square one, mark supposes. he grabs donghyuck’s arm and moves behind him, successfully locking his arm and folds his legs around donghyuck’s waist in a death grip. 

“oh you bitch,” donghyuck spits, using his free hand to push himself in the opposite direction. mark’s now on his back on top, squeezing his legs tighter and donghyuck coughs.

mark prepares when donghyuck uses all his strength to roll forward. donghyuck bangs the back of his head against mark’s forehead and the latter hisses out in pain. his grip slips from donghyuck’s arm and the other tears himself out of mark’s hold.

they both get up, panting heavily as they stare each other down for what seems to be the sixteenth time today. 

donghyuck aims a kick for mark’s neck that he catches, which he shoves away to donghyuck’s surprise. “how come you didn’t take that chance to get me down again?” he wonders and mark shrugs.

“you know me,” mark vaguely replies. 

he’s been kiss deprived all day. donghyuck’s been teasing him all day and mark thinks he must be the weirdest person on the entire planet due to the fact he’s literally willing to let his boyfriend fight with him just so that mark can get some kisses.

maybe jeno and renjun were right.

alas, he formulates one more plan and starts inching his way back to the mural. donghyuck corners him where one of the palace gates meet with the wall of the mural. it’s exactly what he wants. now, he just has to hope his boyfriend has no clue what he’s up to.

and he takes the bait. donghyuck storms his way with his hands guarding his face, one foot in front of the other in a boxing stance. mark copies him and fakes him out with a jab. donghyuck leans left and lurches forward. mark ducks last second and secures his hands under his thighs, hoists him up, and pins him _hard_ against the wall, pressing him there with so much force that donghyuck’s legs have no choice _but_ to wrap around mark’s waist. 

not wasting time he bites and tugs donghyuck’s bottom lip, relishing in the way donghyuck’s hands fly to clutch mark’s hair tightly. his back arches beautifully but mark shoves him back on the wall, digging his nails into the bottom of his boyfriend’s thighs harshly and shoving his tongue in his mouth.

all mark knows right now is that donghyuck’s making pretty noises and mark swallows them, coaxes them to come out his mouth. that donghyuck’s wrapped around him, kissing him back with the same amount of fervor. donghyuck kisses like he wants it to hurt, wants you to feel it, like the numb pain you feel when you press your fingers into a bruise.

mark moans when donghyuck yanks his head back, the hand in his hair making his scalp tingle in pain. now donghyuck’s the one shoving his tongue down mark’s throat, their kissing more saliva swapping at this point but _mark does not care._

it should be gross, the way saliva runs down their chins messily, but the thought of _donghyuckdonghyuckdonghyuck_ floods his fuzzy mind and it’s _hot._ donghyuck is hot and mark is fucking tanked. all his brain can think about is how he wants to take and take and take until he feels drunk.

it’s feverish as hell and mark’s eyes refuse to open, making out with donghyuck until he can’t even feel his lips anymore.

donghyuck pulls back and starts gasping for air. mark stares at his spit-slicked lips, swollen, and his eyes zero on the trail of saliva between them. when he glances up, donghyuck’s eye is pink again and both of his pupils are dilated.

he starts trailing sloppy kisses down donghyuck’s jaw and to his neck, where he licks the cute little mole on his throat and starts sucking a hickey right next to it. donghyuck throws his head back and lets out little gasps and whimpers, shaking in mark’s arms. 

mark slowly lowers him down, moving to a new spot on his neck to suck a new hickey. he keeps one arm around the younger’s waist and uses his other hand to thumb tenderly at where the metal of his jaw meets the skin of his neck, right under the ear.

“mark,” he pants. donghyuck slings his arms around mark’s neck and rubs his nape softly. “babe, slow down.”

he presses one last kiss against donghyuck’s warm, tan skin, nips at his collarbone for the hell of it and eventually backs up a little.

it’s hard holding himself back in this moment―he has a serious, internal struggle, but wills himself to stay put when he realizes that donghyuck’s eye is still pink.

love.

“i love you,” he says.

he says it with certainty, a type of conviction laced with honesty that has donghyuck closing his eyes, bashful.

“i love you too,” he whispers. he guides mark’s hand to his heart and mark chokes on air, pressing his forehead against donghyuck’s and they slump on the wall, catching their breath. 

“you good?” donghyuck mumbles into the crook of his neck. he nods, letting him play with his hair and they hold each other under the moon like this, happy and content.

mark looks up and makes a noise. “donghyuck, you lodged my damn knife into ten’s mural, asshole.”

donghyuck follows his gaze. “aw, shit.”

the blade gleams in under the light, and mark can see their reflection. he also spots the moonstone and smiles. “the moonstone is pretty.”

the younger scoffs. “i think you’re prettier.”

donghyuck reverses their positions and bites the skin under mark’s ear. mark shudders violently and clamps his hand over his mouth to stop himself from making noises.

“babe,” donghyuck whispers, “don’t be scared.”

he lets out low, guttural groans as he feels lips suck bruises into his skin. donghyuck adds the bruises onto him like some sort of trophy wall. they’re tinier versions of his bruises from fighting. 

mark’s nerves are on fire, molten hot heat pooling in his gut and he curls his hands into fists when he feels donghyuck’s tongue lave over his collarbone.

donghyuck pulls away and smiles, brushing their lips together one last time.

“all the adrenaline is gone,” he says, jumping up and snatching mark’s dagger out of the wall. he slides it back into mark’s holster and interlocks pinkies with mark. “fighting with you always makes me sleepy...thank you for putting up with me today.”

mark swings their arms up and down. “you know i’m always down for a good brawl. we’ll be back fighting in the arena tomorrow, angel. c’mon, let’s go back. we have to go wash up and at least dress our bruises. and sleep. jaehyun’s gonna be mad if we’re late for tomorrow’s parade.”

a single thought crosses his mind as they walk back to their rooms. 

how would a moonstone look wrapped around donghyuck’s pretty little ring finger?

**Author's Note:**

> yeah...anyways take a shot every time you see a cuss word
> 
> [things that inspired this](https://twitter.com/laoxaichay/status/1243930683644334086?s=20)  
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/laoxaichay)  
> [curious cat](https://curiouscat.me/laoxaichay)


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